Matthew Schnirel - In Memoriam
On April 28, 2009, while returning from a business trip to Cleveland, Michael Doran and Matthew Schnirel were killed when the plane that Mr. Doran was piloting crashed into a wooded area. Eye-witness accounts report that Mr. Doran directed the plane away from neighboring houses and have hailed him a hero.
Matthew Schnirel, a beloved and respected associate attorney of Doran & Murphy, died suddenly and tragically on April 28, 2009, as a result of a plane crash that claimed both his, and fellow attorney Michael Doran’s lives.
Matthew was the oldest of four children, and was survived by his loving parents, Kevin and Kathleen Schnirel, as well as his siblings: Amanda, Rebecca and Eric. Matthew also left behind the love of his life, Lauren Schilling. He will be dearly missed by his friends and colleagues within the Buffalo legal community, especially by his family here at the firm.
A native of Buffalo, NY, Matthew was the oldest of his brother and sisters, and every day exuded great care and a strong work ethic in his daily life that was undoubtedly the product of his loving and supportive upbringing. His parents, a salesman and an emergency room nurse, taught Matthew by example the value of hard work, caring for others and the satisfaction of a job well done. These were traits that Matthew carried with him throughout his life, and were qualities recognized in him every day by his friends and coworkers.
Matthew worked his way though his undergraduate studies at the University of Albany, where he excelled in both the classroom and the local community. After earning his bachelor’s degree, Matthew returned to his hometown to attend law school at the University at Buffalo. Matthew received his Juris Doctorate from UB in 2008, again working his way through school at a law clerk position with Doran & Murphy. Matthew’s attitude and work product were so well received at the firm, that he was offered a position upon his graduation in 2008.
Though Matthew’s legal career had only just begun, he had already made a splash within the legal profession due to his extensive participation in moot court trial competitions. Matthew faithfully and admirably represented the University in competitions across the country, including New York, Texas, and Michigan. This experience helped Matthew make invaluable contributions later as an attorney with Doran and Murphy, where he worked in civil litigation. Matthew was a counselor who was well known to both the legal community of Buffalo, and also to his many and diverse clients. Never one to remain in the background, Matthew prided himself on intimate client contact, and zealous advocacy. His clients often lauded him for making the complex and confusing legal process of tort and asbestos litigation a much more manageable and understandable process from a layman prospective.
Matthew will be dearly missed by his friends and family, including and especially those working here at Doran and Murphy. His contributions to our practice have been invaluable and will doubtless prove to be irreplaceable. The Buffalo community will be much poorer due to his loss.
